Sex swap teacher found dead after returning to school as a woman

A primary school teacher who began a new term as a woman has been found dead.

Parents have been advised that teacher Mr Nathan Upton who returned to the school as a woman aka Miss Lucy Meadows has been found deadPhoto: CAVENDISH PRESS

7:11PM GMT 21 Mar 2013

Pupils at St Mary Magdalen's C of E Primary School in Accrington, Lancashire, were told in December that Nathan Upton should be addressed as Miss Meadows after Christmas break.

This week they were informed that their teacher, Lucy Meadows, had died.

Mr Upton thanked school governors and staff for their support when he announced his plans to return dressed as a woman in January.

A letter to parents read: ''Mr Upton has recently made a significant change in his life and will be transitioning to live as a woman. After the Christmas break, she will return to work as Miss Meadows.''

Concerns from some parents were reported in the media with one father saying that his three sons at the school were ''too young to be dealing with that''.

The body of Miss Meadows, 32, was found at a house in Accrington on Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Police said: ''At 4.45pm on Tuesday, police were called by the ambulance service to a report of a sudden death at an address on Ramsbottom Street in Accrington.

''On arrival they found the body of a 32-year-old woman. There are no suspicious circumstances and a file will be prepared and passed to the coroner.''

In a statement on the school website, head teacher Karen Hardman said: ''It is with great sadness that I have to inform you of the death of Miss Lucy Meadows.

''Our staff will be working closely with bereavement teams and are here to offer the children and yourselves any support in any way we can.''

Miss Meadows had explained to pupils that he had been "born with a girl's brain in a boy's body".

In December the school said she was at an early stage of "gender reassignment'' and is wearing women's clothes and was changing his name to establish "the social issues that might arise'' from his continuing sex change.

It is believed she had begun hormone therapy and was expecting to have a full operation this year.

A newsletter, which was delivered to parents, said: "Mr Upton has made a significant change in his life and will be transitioning to live as a woman after the Christmas break. She will return to work as Miss Meadows."

It said the school was fully supporting him throughout his "transition.'' In a statement issued through Lancashire county council, Mr Upton, who married in 2009, said: "This has been a long and difficult journey for me, and it was certainly not an easy decision to make.

"I am grateful to governors and colleagues for their support. I'd now ask for my privacy to be respected so that I can continue with my job, which I'm committed to and which I enjoy very much."

In December Wayne Cowie, 35, a father of three who has a child at the school, said: "I have not forced my way of life on to him so why is he forcing his on to my kids? He went for the job as a man. The kids are all going to be laughing and giggling at him.

"He is still Mr Upton but in a dress. He should start a new life in a new place and at a new school."

The Blackburn Diocese said it was made aware of the situation as soon as the school was informed by the teacher of his decision.